BVI FA to honor 30

The BVI Football Association will be honoring no fewer than 30 persons for their hard work and dedication who have contributed to the development of football in the territory at a Gala event on Saturday 26th June 2004 at the moorings Mariner Inn Restaurant at 7:00 pm. The BVIFA in celebrating their 30th Anniversary chose 30 persons to mark this the occasion of 30 years. Tickets for the dinner will be on sale for $15.00 at the BVIFA's office in the Botanic Station.

The honorees include Kenrick Grant who is on his second term as President of the BVI Football Association. Grant in his younger days was a good goalkeeper who represented the BVI team as a goalkeeper in the 1980’s. Glendine Phillips was a defensive player for the national team and was one of the players who represented the BVI in their historic win of the only regional championship ever won by a BVI football team back in1986. Taking part in the Leeward Islands championships the BVI defeated Antigua in the finals. No team has equaled or repeated the feat in the BVI.

Mr. Lewellyn Dasent is presently the general secretary of the BVIFA and has managed the national football team for over 10 years. He played for the famous SK Budweiser football team as a midfielder and was coach of the now famous 1986-championship team. Another memeber of the famous 1986 team was Bernard Grant a national team striker who had a unique way of finding the goal. Gregory Grant was a midfield player for national team and recently retired from the sport. He played for Veterans FC. Avonelle Morton was a goalkeeper and will long be remembered as one of better keepers in region. He was also the goalkeeper kept for the 1986 Leeward Championship team.

Emmett Caines another honoree was the manager of the 1986 team who was himself a former national defensive player, in the back along with him that day were other honorees Steven Douglas , Leslie McMaster a tough and rough defender, the kind of guy you want to have your back and Andy Bickerton who was recently the president of the BVIFA and has always offered the services of his accounting firm to keep the books of the BVIFA up to date. One other defender Caswell Pont didn’t make the team but has played a significant role in the development of the sport here in the BVI. Lenroy Henry a midfield player is the final honoree to be chosen who was part of this dream team of 1986. Henry was majestic in the midfield and can be compared to any midfielder who has represented the BVI. His endless stamina and ability to run for 90 minutes made the midfield very strong and dominant.

Kenmore Simmonds is probably the only active player out of the bunch who has been named as an honoree. He is still active and started his career way back with Inter Father. Easily the oldest player presently playing for the present National team Simmonds still has the legs to play as a striker and score goals due to his impressive ability to find the back of the net. He now plays for Old Madrid in the local league, who won the Spring league last year.

Terry Evans is probably the only locally born Tortolian honoree and during his playing days had formed a football team in the league which was comprised of mainly locally born players. Evans who had developed his football skills in Barbados during his Mapps College days was the president when BVI won the Leeward Islands championship back in 1986.

Winston Potter was a crafty Antiguan who played for Queen City Strikers. He himself a striker was widely remembered as the man without the ball, because on numerous occasions he would end up in the goal without the ball because of his tremendous speed, but most certainly was one of the most feared strikers ever to play in the BVI. Potter has for many years now traveled with the national team a s a coach.

Patrick Mitchell came to the BVI from the experienced Trinidad football regime. He himself has played for the national team but has trade marked himself as a coach whose main interest is in the development of youth football teams on a national level. Vance Lewis the present Cable & Wireless manager was himself a great goal keeper and is argued among football circles that he was the best before Avonelle Morton took over in his retirement. Lewis actually played local football in those days with a cable and wireless football team.

Elroy Mills played for the Queen City Strikers as a midfield player and is presently the only FIFA referee based in the BVI. Cassandra Gregg was the first woman to play in the men’s league when she made her appearance for Wilful Skillful, she presently plays for the VP Wolves ladies team and is a full time coach with the BVIFA. Aubrey Liburd is presently the 1st Vice P of present of the association. For many years he has been the Manager of HBA Panthers who have won the league in numerous occasions and are presently one of the most respected teams in the league for their discipline.

The other Honorees include Arthur Springette a former national player, Johnny Hassas National player and great supporter of the game and the team, Andy Simmonds who plays for Virgin Programmers and like Simmonds and stuck with the sport for many years, Moses Phipps the present Manager for Veterans one of the most successful clubs to pass through the BVI league, who played for SK Brothrers, Marcus Butler Veterans , Manager who himself has played in the league, Weston Blackmore one of the first ever Hall of Famers to be named in the BVI, Wendell Nichols very good defender and national player, Claudine Wheatley a long standing executive member. Allen Searles played in the league back in the 70’s and managed national team in 1979 and Fhyke Hassan owner of International Department store. manager & owner of Inter Father team.

New sets of footballs were generously donated to the BVI Football Association Youth Programme last week. The “Canon” sponsored balls were donated by Infinite Solutions.

Head of Youth Football Roger Carter gratefully received the balls, which will be used in the remainder of the youth programme. Dion Anselm from Infinite Solutions, who is also Tennis Captain at Tortola Sports Club, said, “We fully support the youth football programme, and are happy to provide support in any way.”